Blotter



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' J. P. GAGE.

BLOTTER.

Patented July 19, 1887.

INVENTOR 7 (7/122: age

MWMW v ATTORNEYS WITNESSES @49 (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. P. GAGE.

BLOTTER.

No. 366,949. Patented July 19, 1887.

INVENTOR (70271 f, a e

WITNESSES W ATTORNEYS N. PETEns. Pholvbthagnphur, Washington D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT O EicE.

JOHN PORCIUS GAGE, OF VINELAND, NEIV JERSEY.

BLOTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,949, dated July 19, 1887.

Application filed November4,1886. Serial No. 217,090.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN PORCIUS GAGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Vineland, in the county of Cumberland and 5 State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Blotters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of one form of my improved blotter. Fig. 2 is a view of the same with back removed. Fig. 3 is another form. Fig. 4 is a view of the latter with back removed,showing face-piece tied with cord. Fig. 5 is a view showing facepiece tied with wire. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are views of different forms of the blotter.

My invention relates to blotters; and it consists in the construction and novel combination of parts, as hereinafter described and 5 claimed.

My object is to provide a cheap, desirable, useful, and convenient blotter for writers use in blotting u ndried manuscriptand the like, and to provide simpleand ready means whereby the blotting-paper may be attached to the holder and removed therefrom when soiled and replaced by new and unused blottingpaper.

Referring .by letter to the accompanying 5 drawings, A designates the bowed or curved face-piece of the blotterframe, which is thin and light, as shown, and is preferably made of wood, either sawed, cut, or molded. I sometimes cut the facepiece A in the desired form in the first instance. I also cut the face-piece straight and bend it afterward. \Vhen made of 1netal,the face-piece is first cut or stamped to the proper size and bent to the desired bowed shape afterward,and is tied by cords B, or wires C, or metal strips 1), extending from end to end, or from near one end to the other end, of theface-piece to cause it to maintain the desired curved or bowed shape. A transverse bridgepicce, E, is secured to the back surface of the bowed face-piece A by tacks or otherwise, said bridgepiece extending either entirely across the face-piece or only part way (No model.)

across, as may be deemed preferable. To the upper face of the transverse bridge-piece I secure the back-piece F.

The bridgepiece E is located at the middle of the bowed face-piece, and a spring backpiece F is secured to the upper face of the bridgepiece E by brads, nails,tacks, or screws, as may be preferred. The back-piece extends to and bears against the ends of the bowed stance I use two tacks, L M, near opposite edges of the back-piece to secure the latter to the bridge-piece. It is then necessary to spring the ends of the back-piece up to insert and remove the strip of blotting-paper. I sometimes use more than two tacks to secure the wooden back-piece in place, as the frequent springing up of the back-piece to insert and remove the blotting-paper tends to loosen the tacks when but two are used,and by using a greater number of tacks at this point there is greater security, and the usefulness of the holder is thereby prolonged.

W'hen metal strips are used to tie the bowed face-piece, said strips overlap and clamp the ends of said bowed face-piece. XVhen cords or wires are used for this purpose, they are passed through recesses in or holes near the ends of the face-piece and are tied or twisted together to secure them in place.

lVhen the face-piece is sawed or out out in the bowed or curved form, the ties may be dispensed with; but in the other forms the ties are used to retain the face-piece in shape.

In another form I construct the transverse bridge in two parts equal in length and secure one piece, :10, to the back of the bowed facepiece. The other piece, y, is secured to the face of the back-piece by tacks driven through the rear face into the section y of the bridge. A rivet, Z, is then used to pivot the back-piece and its section to the section of the bridge that is seen red to the back of the bowed face-piece.

By this construction it will be seen that I ICC get-a very light blotterholder, and that thin strips of wood may be utilized for the purpose.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. Ablotter 'frame or holder consisting of a thin and light bowed face-piece, a transverse bridge secured to the upper side thereof, and a spring back-piece secured to the bridgepiece, substantially as specified.

2. Ablotter-holder consisting of a bowed face-piece, a spring back-piece, and a bridge interposed between the said pieces, the said bridge being longitudinally divided and pivotally connected, and one section thereof sceu red tothe face-piece and the other to the back-piece, substantially as specified.

3. A blotter-holder consisting of a bowed face-piece, a spring back-piece, a transverse JOHN POROIUS GAGE.

\Vitnesses:

ASAHEL GAGE, LoUIs H. LEE: 

